In the Northern Urals there is a marvelous beauty of the temple of Maximus the Confessor (Krasnoturinsk). This five-headed beautiful building is often compared to a celestial ship, streaming its golden domes. It was consecrated in honor of the theologian and philosopher, who lived in the VI-VII centuries, first in Byzantium, and then in Colchis. The voices of the bells of the church with their sonorous and powerful singing call the congregation to the service. Like many churches in our country, he knew the heyday, experienced hard times and, finally, the revival period. But first things first.
Wooden cemetery church
Back in the 18th century, there were mining mines in these parts, founded by the merchant Maxim Pokhodyashin. Over time, his son, wishing to perpetuate the memory of his father, built a wooden church at the local cemetery, which was consecrated in 1787 in honor of the Monk Maximus the Confessor, the heavenly patron of his father. From a cemetery church gradually turned into a parish church and served God and people until in 1829 it was destroyed by fire.
As a result of such a misfortune, local residents were practically without spiritual nourishment. In 1842, the chief chief of the mines M.I. Protasov wrote to the highest authorities about his extreme concern about the moral condition of local residents. This is not surprising - a significant percentage of them were former convicts, after many years in prison, who settled in the surrounding villages. Protasov saw a way out of this situation in the construction of a large stone church on the site of a burnt church, a visit to which will have a beneficial effect on former convicts.
The beginning of the construction of a stone temple
Two years later, at the end of all bureaucratic delays, the temple of Maximus the Confessor was finally laid. Krasnoturinsk is today a small city, and in those days it was only the center of settlements formed by two mining plants - Goroblagodatsky and Bogoslovsky.
Its remoteness from the capital was one of the reasons that slowed down the pace of construction. Only the personal intervention of the president of the Petersburg Academy of Arts, the Duke of Leuchtenberg, gave impetus to the work.
The main contractor was identified. They became a merchant of the third guild S. Yakovlev. But the serf peasant Nikander Trukhin directly supervised the work. Having no education and relying only on experience, ingenuity and common sense, this folk nugget erected a temple that during the years of the Atheism could not be destroyed even with explosives - the masonry proved so strong. They worked for conscience, knew that they were trying for God. Nahalturish - in the next world will have to answer. The Church of St. Maximus the Confessor was built in the Byzantine style according to the project of architect A. Delyusto.
The work of the capital's masters
Meanwhile, in the capital, they created an iconostasis for the future cathedral. The artist A. Maximov and the architect G. Ponomarev, together with the carver I. Vladimirov, began to manufacture it. The work was carried out according to a previously approved project, nevertheless, the performers had a wide scope for creativity. Finally, the iconostasis and other icons completed in 1851 arrived in the Urals. The following year, the temple of Maximus the Confessor in Krasnoturinsk was solemnly consecrated.
Icons for the church were painted by St. Petersburg artist A. Maximov. The opinion that their authorship belongs to Italian masters is completely unfair among city dwellers. This misconception is caused by the fact that Maximov, being a student of the famous K. Bryullov, lived and worked with his teacher in Italy for thirteen years. The altarpiece of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ also belongs to his brush.
The closure of the temple in Soviet times
For many years, the temple was the focus of the religious life of the Turin mines. His enlightening and educational work continued until 1934. By the decision of the local village council, the temple of Maximus the Confessor (Krasnoturinsk) was closed.
After long and unsuccessful attempts to blow up the building, it was decided to transfer it to the economic authorities for use at their discretion. Initially, there was a warehouse of the NKVD, and over time it was rebuilt and a movie theater was opened.
Temple restoration
Only in 1995, by the decision of the City Duma, the church of Maxim the Confessor (Krasnoturinsk) was returned to the parishioners. Despite the inconvenience associated with the reconstruction and restoration work, services immediately began in it. The chorus of singers, created by the parishioners, thanks to the high professionalism of their leader, mother Tatyana, immediately began to attract attention with coherence and beauty of sound.
More than one and a half centuries have passed since the first stone was laid in the foundation of the temple. They contained whole eras from the life of the country. Since then, everything around has changed beyond recognition. But, according to the Apostle Paul, God at all times is the same as His saints temples, having survived hard times, all the same raise their domes to heaven. And just as many years ago, the church of Maxim the Confessor (Krasnoturinsk) calls the pilgrims with their bell ringing.